2- TO 3½-QUART
1½ tblsp unsalted butter
4 ounces pancetta, diced
6 tblsp thinly sliced leek (white and pale green part only), washed carefully to remove internal sand
⅔ cup dry vermouth
½ tblsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 bay leaf
1½ tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 pound, cut into 2 to 3 pieces Monkfish fillets
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter
6 ounces pancetta, diced
½ cup thinly sliced leek (white and pale green part only), washed carefully to remove internal sand
1 cup dry vermouth
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 bay leaf
2 tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1½ pounds, cut into 4 or 5 pieces Monkfish fillets
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp unsalted butter
10 ounces pancetta, diced
1 cup (about ½ pound) thinly sliced leek (white and pale green part only), washed carefully to remove internal sand
1⅔ cups dry vermouth
1 tblsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 bay leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2½ pounds, cut into 7 or 8 pieces Monkfish fillets
1 Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and fry until crisp, stirring often, between 3 and 6 minutes.
2 Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker; stir in the leek, vermouth, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.
3 Stir in the parsley, then nestle the monkfish in the sauce. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 minutes, or until the fish is firm and opaque. Discard the bay leaf, cut the monkfish into individual servings, and offer them in bowls with the sauce.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Monkfish is an oily but surprisingly mild fish, once called “poor man’s lobster” for its meaty texture and shellfish-like taste. Like lobster, monkfish can be quickly overcooked and turn rubbery. Start checking the fish after 20 minutes—it won’t flake with a fork, but instead should cut easily with a knife, revealing an opaque if still slightly gelatinous center.
• Make sure the pancetta is cut into cubes no larger than ¼ inch. You want them to accent the fish, not compete with it on the fork.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Pancetta is cured pork belly, not smoked like bacon. It is often rolled into a tight spiral and laced with cracked black peppercorns and sometimes other spices. A favorite in Italian cooking, pancetta sometimes is sold sliced in packages, found near the prosciutto. However, the best-tasting pancetta is sliced right at the deli counter for you. Ask for ¼-inch-thick slices, which you can then easily dice at home.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ pound fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
¼ cup minced yellow onion
¼ cup minced celery
⅛ tsp salt
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
2 tblsp dry white wine, such as white Chablis
2 tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ tsp fennel seeds
1 pound striped bass, black bass, sea bass, or largemouth bass, skin on but scored
4- TO 5½-QUART
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
⅓ cup minced yellow onion
⅓ cup minced celery
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
3 tblsp dry white wine, such as white Chablis
3 tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
½ tsp fennel seeds
1½ pounds striped bass, black bass, sea bass, or largemouth bass, skin on but scored
6- TO 8-QUART
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
1½ pounds fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
½ cup minced yellow onion
½ cup minced celery
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup dry white wine, such as white Chablis
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tsp fennel seeds
2½ pounds striped bass, black bass, sea bass, or largemouth bass, skin on but scored
1 Stir the broth, fennel, onion, celery, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
2 Use a slotted spoon to remove all the solids from the broth; discard the solids. Stir in the wine, parsley, and fennel seeds. Cover and continue cooking on high for 1 hour.
3 Lay the fish in the broth. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes in a small slow cooker, 30 minutes in a medium cooker, or 40 minutes in a large cooker, until the bass flakes into meaty chunks when scraped with a fork. Use a wide spatula to get the fish into serving bowls, then ladle the poaching liquid on top.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Feel free to use the fennel fronds here as well, especially since you’ll remove them before adding the fish.
• Substitute skin-on snapper fillets for the bass, if desired. Score the skin on these as well.
Serve It Up! Of course, you’ll need crunchy bread to dip in the broth. Beyond that, consider a Salad of Grilled Radicchio: Slice the heads in half, then oil them and grill on an outdoor grill or in a grill pan set over medium-high heat. Lay the quarters on a platter and top with a creamy dressing that’s a mixture of mayonnaise, minced dill, minced parsley leaves, a little lemon juice, and some pickle relish. Sprinkle crunchy sea salt or kosher salt over the platter.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 tblsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
10 ounces russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
½ cup red (sweet) vermouth
½ cup bottled clam juice
2 tsp mild paprika
2 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
1 pound Bluefish fillets, skin removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 tblsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1¼ pounds russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1¾ cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
¾ cup red (sweet) vermouth
¾ cup bottled clam juice
3½ tsp mild paprika
3 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
1¾ pounds Bluefish fillets, skin removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
6- TO 8-QUART
⅓ cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 tblsp minced garlic
2 pounds russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and diced
2¾ cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1¼ cups red (sweet) vermouth
1¼ cups bottled clam juice
2 tblsp mild paprika
5 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
2¾ pounds Bluefish fillets, skin removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Set a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, then swirl in the oil. Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, between 5 and 9 minutes.
2 Stir in the garlic, cook for a few seconds, and scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes, vermouth, clam juice, paprika, and thyme. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are quite tender.
3 Gently stir in the bluefish pieces. Cover, turn the heat to high, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This hearty stew would be best if you lived near the coast where you can sometimes find fresh, never-frozen bluefish at the supermarket.
• If you’ve got leftovers, save them in the fridge, tightly covered, for a day or so, then mix in some panko breadcrumbs and form them into patties. Fry in a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil and unsalted butter.
SHORTCUTS This recipe is perfect for frozen chopped onions and frozen chopped bell peppers. Plus, there’s no need to thaw them. Just cook an extra minute or so in the skillet to make sure they’re hot.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Bluefish is an oily, strong-tasting fish, somewhat milder (though not very much so) than mackerel. It’s common in fish markets along the eastern U.S. coastline.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup plus 2 tblsp pearled barley
⅓ cup thinly sliced leek (white and pale green part only), washed carefully to remove interior sand
1 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
Up to ¼ tsp saffron
5 ounces cod fillets, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces bay scallops
½ ounce (about 1 tblsp) Pecorino-Romano cheese, finely grated
½ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
5¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups pearled barley
1 cup (about ½ pound) thinly sliced leek (white and pale green part only), washed carefully to remove interior sand
2 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
Up to ½ tsp saffron
¾ pound cod fillets, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ pound bay scallops
1 ounce (about 2 tblsp) Pecorino-Romano cheese, finely grated
¾ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups plus 2 tblsp pearled barley
1¼ cups thinly sliced leek (white and pale green part only), washed carefully to remove interior sand
1 tblsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
Up to ¾ tsp saffron
1 pound cod fillets, cut into ½-inch pieces
10 ounces bay scallops
1½ ounces (about 3 tblsp) Pecorino-Romano cheese, finely grated
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 Combine the broth, barley, leek, thyme, and saffron in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3½ hours in a small slow cooker, 4 hours in a medium cooker, or 4½ hours in a large one, or until the barley is almost tender and much of the liquid has been absorbed.
2 Gently stir in the cod pieces and scallops. Cover, set the temperature to high, and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese and pepper before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Yes, there’s a mix of seafood and shellfish here. You can’t make a good seafood risotto without that combo!
• Tiny bay scallops can be hard to locate. If you can only find the larger sea scallops, cut them in half or even quarters to match the size of the cod pieces.
Serve It Up! You’ll want a fairly simple salad to go with this more complex dish. Mix toasted walnut or pecan pieces with thinly sliced and cored apple and chopped romaine, then dress it with an emulsion of two parts white wine vinegar to five parts olive oil, plus a pinch of sugar and a very little bit of minced ginger, as well as some salt and ground black pepper.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Pecorino is the name for a range of cheeses, all made from sheep’s milk. Pecorino Romano is the most common form found in North America, and the mildest of the bunch. All also come in soft and semi-soft varieties, but you’re looking for the hard grating type for all of these recipes.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
¾ cup moderately dry white wine, such as Viognier
6 ounces fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
⅔ cup bottled clam juice
1 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
pinch saffron
10 ounces thick white fish fillets, skin removed
¼ pound sea scallops
¼ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1¾ cups moderately dry white wine, such as Viognier
10 ounces fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
1⅓ cups bottled clam juice
2 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tblsp Herbes de Provence
⅛ tsp saffron
18 ounces (1 pound 2 ounces) thick white fish fillets, skin removed
½ pound sea scallops
½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
3 cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2½ cups moderately dry white wine, such as Viognier
1 pound fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
2 cups bottled clam juice
3 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tblsp minced garlic
2½ tsp Herbes de Provence)
¼ tsp saffron
1¾ pounds thick white fish fillets, skin removed
¾ pound sea scallops
¾ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Mix the tomatoes, wine, fennel, clam juice, tomato paste, garlic, herbes de Provence, and saffron in the slow cooker until the tomato paste dissolves. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
2 Add the fish, scallops, and shrimp, submerging them in the sauce. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 minutes.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This recipe won’t win any authenticity awards, but it is a quick way to get an aromatic and satisfying fish stew on the table.
• Bottled clam juice is a less than perfect necessity in the absence of good fish stock in our supermarkets. If you find the latter, by all means use it, or make your own stock.
Serve It Up! A proper bouillabaisse is always topped with a rouille (roo-EE), a thick sauce. To make your own, crush a garlic clove or two through a garlic press and into a large bowl, then whisk in a couple of large egg yolks as well as some salt, ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Now begin whisking in olive oil in the thinnest drizzle, whisking all the while, adding up to 1 cup oil (maybe a little more or less depending on the day’s humidity and temperature) until you have a thick sauce, the consistency of mayonnaise. Frankly, we often forgo the rouille and grind up a mixture of fresh breadcrumbs, toasted and skinned hazelnuts, and celery leaves, ladling the soup in the bowls over this and topping it with a little Aïoli.
Without a doubt, we’ve come to America’s favorite seafood. We gulp down over a billion pounds of shrimp a year, not to mention the legions of crabs, lobsters, scallops, mussels, clams, and oysters that make it to our tables. And no wonder: shellfish of all sorts is easy to prepare. Shrimp may well be the boneless, skinless chicken breasts of the ocean.
Although many sorts of shellfish cost no more than fish fillets, they do pair more easily with bigger flavors. You’ll notice that many of these recipes tilt toward the spicy or bold, partly because the naturally sweet flavors of shrimp and the rest can withstand a greater punch than tilapia or even pork. Consider Shrimp with Jalapeños and Thyme or Red Curry Mussels.
However, we’ve got the same problem here that we’ve got with fish fillets: almost all these shellfish, mollusks, and their oceanic kin cook in no time. You can’t put a pound of shelled shrimp in the slow cooker and head off to work for 8 hours. But just as you did with fish recipes, you can build a fairly complex sauce that will cook the shrimp in a matter of minutes. In fact, the slow cooker sauce will often be better than the one prepared on the stove because it will have had hours to blend and balance, providing a more complex palette for your favorite seafood.
As to buying various sorts of shellfish, keep this in mind: except for exceedingly rare occasions, almost all the shrimp sold in the United States have been frozen at harvest. Those lying on the ice at your supermarket may look fresh, but the chances are that they’ve been thawed in the back. So do what your fishmonger did: head to the freezer case and buy the more economical bags of frozen shrimp or scallops. You’ll save money and end up with meals ahead when you stock up on a freezer sale.
To thaw shrimp, scallops, crab legs, and lobster tails, take out as many as you need, put them in a bowl, and store them in the fridge overnight. If you’re really in a rush, thaw them on the counter in a bowl of cold water, changing the water for more cold (never warm!) water every 15 minutes until they’re ready to go. Never put frozen or even half-frozen shrimp in the slow cooker. The gradual rise in temperature also gives rise to food safety issues. Your stomach will thank you for being careful.
As to mussels and clams, you’ll need to buy them from a reputable fish counter. Here’s the most important rule: if the place smells like fish (or if it smells of cleaning products, particularly ammonia), turn around and walk out. You buy bivalves live and you cook them live because they’re prone to quick deaths and even quicker rot. We’ll have some specific tips in the recipes ahead; for now, suffice it to say that buying mussels, clams, or oysters requires a level of trust between you and your supplier.
We’ve got a lot of shellfish to eat if we want to keep up with our annual quota. Let’s get cracking.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
¼ cup thinly sliced scallion greens
Up to 2 tsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
2 tsp olive oil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
1 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
½ cup thinly sliced scallion greens
Up to 1½ tblsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
1½ tblsp olive oil
½ tsp ground black pepper
2½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
½ tblsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
1¾ cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
¾ cup thinly sliced scallion greens
Up to 2½ tblsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
1 tblsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
1 Mix the wine, scallions, jalapeño, oil, and pepper in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.
2 Stir in the shrimp and thyme. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Fresh jalapeño chiles have a slightly sour, citruslike bite, a fine pairing to sweet shrimp.
• If desired, dress up the sauce. Strain it into a medium saucepan, removing the solids, then bring it to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced by about a third from its original volume, then whisk in up to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. For an even thicker sauce, use room-temperature butter mashed with an equal amount of flour, whisking this mixture into the sauce by tiny little dribs and drabs over very low heat.
Serve It Up! Since the sauce is fairly spicy, make a cooling side salad of diced cucumber, red bell pepper, and carrots, bound together with plain yogurt, a splash of rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and salt.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Shrimp are always sold by size; however, the adjectives used to describe those sizes don’t mean much. Medium, large, and jumbo are mere window-dressing. One store’s large may be another’s jumbo. For accuracy, purchase shrimp the way the fishmonger does: by how many make up a pound. About 30 shrimp per pound are medium size; over 40 per pound, fairly small; under 20 per pound, quite large; and under 5 per pound, lobster tails in shrimp drag.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Shrimp are easily overcooked. You’re looking for the characteristic change of color to pinkish red, so you have firm but not rubbery meat. There’s only one way to tell for sure: bite into one to try it.
Many of these recipes call for shrimp that have been deveined—a euphemism for the act of removing the digestive tract, the dark “vein” running along the outside curve of the tail. You devein shrimp by making a shallow cut along that curve and picking out the dark line with the tip of the paring knife. For a way out of this job, buy already deveined shrimp or ask the fishmonger at your market to do it for you.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp olive oil
½ tblsp bottled red pepper sauce or hot sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
1½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
1½ tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
8 tblsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp bottled red pepper sauce or hot sauce
2 tsp ground black pepper
2½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
3 tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
12 tblsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
6 tblsp fresh lemon juice
3 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp bottled red pepper sauce or hot sauce
1 tblsp ground black pepper
4 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 Mix the butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, hot sauce, and black pepper in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
2 Stir in the shrimp and parsley. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Shell-on shrimp are an excellent choice to get the “Buffalo” treatment. There’s lots of opportunity to slurp the sauce off those shells.
• We used Tabasco sauce. But chipotle hot sauce will give the dish a smoky flavor; a habanero sauce, a lethal spike.
2- TO 3½-QUART
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
3 fresh lemon wedges
1½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
2 tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
½ cup olive oil
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger
1½ tblsp minced garlic
6 fresh lemon wedges
2½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
¾ cup olive oil
¾ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
6 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tblsp minced garlic
10 fresh lemon wedges
4 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 Mix the olive oil, wine, ginger, garlic, and lemon wedges in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, until fragrant and bubbling.
2 Stir in the shrimp and parsley. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm. Have a bowl ready to catch the shells as you suck the sauce off them and then peel them off, dipping the meat back into the sauce from the cooker.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• The lemon wedges actually soften and cook in the sauce. They’re delicious, especially if minced up on your plate and mixed into some white rice.
• Feel free to substitute small clams or even cockles for the shrimp.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED These first recipes have been prepared with shell-on shrimp because they make excellent finger fare at the coffee table when a game or a movie is on. That said, you can make these dishes with peeled and deveined shrimp if you intend to serve them as a family meal at the table, where little fingers don’t need any more help getting messy.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 dried New Mexican chile, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces
2 tblsp minced whole scallion
2 tblsp thinly sliced lemongrass (white and pale green parts only)
1½ tblsp packed light brown sugar
1 tblsp fish sauce
½ tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
½ stemmed and seeded serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
1¼ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 dried New Mexican chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces
¼ cup minced whole scallion
¼ cup thinly sliced lemongrass (white and pale green parts only)
3 tblsp packed light brown sugar
2 tblsp fish sauce
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 stemmed and seeded serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
2½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
3 dried New Mexican chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces
½ cup minced whole scallion
½ cup thinly sliced lemongrass (white and pale green parts only)
6 tblsp packed light brown sugar
¼ cup fish sauce
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled
2 stemmed and seeded serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
5 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
1 Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Place the dried chile in a small bowl; cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl, catching the soaking water below.
2 Put the soaked chile in a large blender along with the scallion, lemongrass, brown sugar, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and fresh chile. Add a little of the soaking liquid, no more than a tablespoon or so, then blend until smooth, stopping the machine once or twice to scrape down the inside of the canister. (Add a little more of the soaking liquid, if necessary, to make sure things are blending well.)
3 Scrape the chile puree into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1½ hours, or until the sauce is bubbling.
4 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Here’s a Malaysian-inspired sauce for shrimp. Of course, you can use shelled shrimp, but eating them won’t be as much fun. You can also use larger shrimp, even those coming in at 20 shrimp per pound, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time by 5 or 10 minutes.
• The amount of chile-soaking liquid you’ll need to create a smooth sauce varies widely. Start out with a little—you can always add more. You want a smooth sauce, not a sticky paste.
• If you want to get fancy, substitute grated palm sugar for the brown sugar for a more mellow, less tannic taste.
Serve It Up! Cook up a pot of short-grain sticky white rice, then ladle the shrimp and sauce over bowlfuls.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
2 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tblsp minced garlic
1 tblsp oyster sauce
1 tblsp soy sauce
Up to 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1¼ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into small bits
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tblsp minced garlic
2 tblsp oyster sauce
2 tblsp soy sauce
Up to 1 tblsp coarsely ground black pepper
2½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
8 tblsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small bits
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tblsp minced garlic
3 tblsp oyster sauce
3 tblsp soy sauce
Up to 2 tblsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
½ cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 Mix the butter, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and black pepper in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1½ hours, or until the butter has melted and begun to form a bubbling sauce.
2 Stir in the shrimp and basil. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This is a slow cooker variation on a common Vietnamese dish, usually made with a burned caramel sauce and plenty of black pepper. The recipe actually calls for coarsely ground black pepper, rather than the more standard finely ground sort, so that the pepper doesn’t just melt into the sauce. If you’ve only got finely ground on hand, use about half the stated amount.
• Here’s a fine opportunity to substitute small clams or even mussels for the shrimp.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tblsp dry sherry
2 tblsp jarred Asian black bean sauce or chile sauce with preserved black beans
1 tblsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1¼ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup jarred Asian black bean sauce or chile sauce with preserved black beans
2 tblsp soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2½ pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
4 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
7 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
7 tblsp dry sherry
7 tblsp jarred Asian black bean sauce or chile sauce with preserved black beans
3½ tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp toasted sesame oil
4 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
1 Stir the broth, scallions, ginger, sherry, black bean sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.
2 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
• You can vary the flavors in this dish by looking through the various sorts of preserved black bean sauces available in your local grocery store. Some will be quite hot, others salty and mild. However, if you do make a trip to an Asian grocery store or even look at online suppliers, you’ll find an astounding array.
• Using low-sodium fat-free chicken broth instead of vegetable broth would give this dish more heft—maybe too much for some tastes.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 tblsp peanut oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 medium celery ribs, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tblsp all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1 tsp mild paprika
½ tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp celery seeds
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
¾ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
3½ tblsp peanut oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
3½ tsp minced garlic
5 tblsp all-purpose flour
1⅔ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2 tsp mild paprika
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp celery seeds
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
1¼ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
⅓ cup peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
4 medium celery ribs, chopped
2 tblsp minced garlic
7 tblsp all-purpose flour
2⅔ cups low-sodium chicken broth
4½ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1 tblsp mild paprika
½ tblsp dried sage
½ tblsp dried thyme
¾ tsp celery seeds
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp cayenne (optional)
2 pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 Put a large saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, then pour in the oil. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom, then add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have begun to soften a bit, between 4 and 7 minutes.
2 Add the garlic, stir well over the heat, then sprinkle the flour over everything. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the flour coating begins to brown, perhaps 5 minutes. Pour in the broth and stir constantly until bubbling and thickened slightly.
3 Scrape the contents of the saucepan into the slow cooker; stir in the tomatoes, paprika, sage, thyme, celery seeds, salt, and cayenne (if using). Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.
4 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Yes, this dish is a complex mix of flavors—and perhaps even more complex when made with chicken broth, used here in the absence of good fish or shellfish stock (unless you make your own).
• Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce with the tomatoes and some chopped parsley leaves with the shrimp if you want to make the flavors even more ornate.
• The most important task here is properly browning the flour coating on the vegetables. Not only do you want to get rid of that raw flour taste, you also want to deepen its flavors to add a toasty note underneath the stew.
SHORTCUTS Omit the paprika, sage, thyme, celery seeds, and salt; instead, use 2½ teaspoons bottled Creole seasoning in a small batch, 4½ teaspoons in a medium batch, or 2½ tablespoons in a large one. Check the bottling and see if the blend includes hot stuff like cayenne. If so, omit the cayenne as well.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup trimmed and chopped fennel
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
⅓ cup chopped yellow onion
⅓ cup chopped celery
¼ cup thinly sliced, pitted green olives
2 tblsp drained, rinsed, and minced capers
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
1½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 cup (about ½ pound) trimmed and chopped fennel
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
⅔ cup (about 1 small) chopped yellow onion
⅔ cup (about 2½ medium ribs) chopped celery
½ cup thinly sliced, pitted green olives
3 tblsp drained, rinsed, and minced capers
1 tblsp Herbes de Provence
2½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
1¾ cups trimmed and chopped fennel
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1¼ cups chopped yellow onion
1¼ cups chopped celery
¾ cup thinly sliced, pitted green olives
¼ cup drained, rinsed, and minced capers
1½ tblsp Herbes de Provence
4 pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 Stir the fennel, broth, onion, celery, olives, capers, and herbes de Provence in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is bubbling.
2 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• More the foundation for a stew rather than a sauce, the vegetables here should retain a bit of their fresh crunch to stand up to the sweet shrimp.
• Shrimp are by nature salty. To keep the meal from being doped with sodium, make sure you rinse the capers before mincing them.
• Feel free to substitute small clams or even cockles for the shrimp.
Serve It Up! Rather than just standard garlic bread to dip into the stew, try this: rub thick slices of sourdough bread with quartered peeled garlic cloves and halved plum tomatoes (the tomato juice and pulp will seep into the bread). Toss out the used tomatoes and garlic, then drizzle the bread with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper before broiling on a large baking sheet until lightly browned and crunchy.
2- TO 3½-QUART
About 3 cups water
1 tblsp chopped yellow onion
1 tblsp Old Bay seasoning
2 medium celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 garlic cloves, peeled
½ pound small red-skinned potatoes
¼ pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ pound shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
2 4-inch pieces of husked and silked corn on the cob
4- TO 5½-QUART
About 5 cups water
2 tblsp chopped yellow onion
2 tblsp Old Bay seasoning
4 medium celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 pound small red-skinned potatoes
½ pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ pound shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
4 4-inch pieces of husked and silked corn on the cob
6- TO 8-QUART
About 8 cups (2 quarts) water
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
¼ cup Old bay seasoning
8 medium celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 pounds shell-on medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), deveined
8 4-inch pieces of husked and silked corn on the cob
1 Fill the slow cooker with water until it comes about a quarter of the way up the sides. Stir in the onion, Old bay seasoning, celery, and garlic.
2 Slip the potatoes and sausage into the water. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the potatoes are almost tender and the sausage is cooked through.
3 Stir in the shrimp and corn. Cover, set the heat to high, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm. Drain the stew into a large colander before dumping everything in a big serving bowl, or use tongs to transfer the shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes to a bowl.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• There’s really no substitute for Old bay seasoning, a mix of dry mustard, paprika, cinnamon, bay leaves, and other spices.
• We prefer smoked kielbasa in this boil. However, you can use other smoked sausages, even turkey or chicken sausages. Just do not use breakfast links or any sausage laced with cheese or ingredients not in the spirit of Louisiana.
• The garlic cloves are tender and edible, if strong. Mash and spread them on toast.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup coconut milk
Up to 3 tblsp yellow Thai curry paste
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp packed light brown sugar
3 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ cups coconut milk
Up to ¼ cup yellow Thai curry paste
1 tblsp fish sauce
1 tblsp packed light brown sugar
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
2⅔ cups coconut milk
Up to ½ cup yellow Thai curry paste
2 tblsp fish sauce
2 tblsp packed light brown sugar
9 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2¾ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 Whisk the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar in the slow cooker until the brown sugar melts.
2 Stir in the shiitakes, bell pepper, scallions, and ginger. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until bubbling and hot.
3 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• You can use almost any size shrimp for this dish, from monsters at 10 per pound to small shrimp at around 50 per pound. Just don’t use so-called baby shrimp or salad shrimp; they’ll cook too quickly without absorbing enough flavor.
• Try this with crawfish tail meat instead of shrimp.
• Leave the bell peppers in ½-inch pieces, a little larger than usual, so that they don’t soften too quickly.
• Yellow Thai curry paste can be quite fiery. Hang back a bit if you don’t yet have the hang of it for your own taste.
Serve It Up! Rather than serving this stew over rice, try it alongside a cooling dish of shredded carrots and cucumbers, tossed with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a pinch of sugar.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed
⅔ cup pearled barley
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1¼ tsp minced garlic
1¼ tsp minced fresh dill fronds
1¼ tsp finely grated lemon zest
⅔ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
½ ounce (about 2 tblsp) aged Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ cups frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed
1 cup pearled barley
¾ cup (about 1 small) chopped yellow onion
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh dill fronds
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1½ ounces (about ⅓ cup) aged Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
½ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2½ cups frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed
1⅔ cups pearled barley
1¼ cups chopped yellow onion
1 tblsp minced garlic
1 tblsp minced fresh dill fronds
1 tblsp finely grated lemon zest
1⅔ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 ounces (about ½ cup) aged Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 Stir the broth, artichoke hearts, barley, onion, garlic, dill, and lemon zest in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
2 Stir in the shrimp, cheese, and pepper. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
• Rice proves too gummy, so barley makes a better alternative for a slow-cooker pilaf. The barley is also a bit savory, certainly not as sweet, and so better complements the shrimp.
• Frozen artichoke heart quarters are firmer than their jarred kin and thus better able to stand up to long cooking. That said, if you can only find the canned, use them at will.
• You can substitute semi-pearled (or semi-perlato) barley and have a bit more whole-grain goodness.
2- TO 3½-QUART
⅓ cup moderately dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1½ tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4 tsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground turmeric
⅛ tsp ground cloves
2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
1½ tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
½ cup moderately dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tblsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
1 tblsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
2 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
2½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
¾ cup plus 1 tblsp moderately dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
3½ tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
3½ tblsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
2 tblsp minced garlic
½ tblsp ground cardamom
½ tblsp ground coriander
½ tblsp ground cumin
½ tblsp ground black pepper
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cloves
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
3½ tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
4 pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 Purée the wine, ginger, jalapeño, garlic, cardamom, coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and cloves in a large blender, occasionally scraping down the inside of the canister until you get a wet, moderately smooth paste.
2 Scrape the paste into the slow cooker; stir in the onions and butter. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.
3 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• You can also use ghee, or clarified butter, for this sauce, if you prefer no milk solids in the mix (which give slightly bitter notes to the dish). That said, we liked those notes and so felt it wasn’t worth the effort to clarify any butter.
• For a hotter sauce, don’t seed the chiles, and add some cayenne to the mix—up to 1 teaspoon for a large slow cooker.
Serve It Up! Although often served over rice, we like this lighter shrimp version of the classic curry over mashed sweet potatoes laced with butter, salt, pepper, and perhaps a little ground cumin for a savory pop.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
½ medium serrano chiles, stemmed and minced
1½ tblsp red wine vinegar
1½ tblsp unsweetened apple juice
2 tsp honey
1¼ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
¾ tsp ground coriander
¾ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 ripe medium plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
1 medium serrano chiles, stemmed and minced
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
2 tblsp unsweetened apple juice
1 tblsp honey
2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 ripe medium plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2½ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
6- TO 8-QUART
5 medium whole scallions, thinly sliced
1½ medium serrano chiles, stemmed and minced
3½ tblsp red wine vinegar
3½ tblsp unsweetened apple juice
2 tblsp honey
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1¾ tsp ground coriander
1¾ tsp dried thyme
2 tsp minced garlic
¾ tsp ground allspice
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp grated nutmeg
¾ tsp ground black pepper
4 ripe medium plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large plus 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 Place the scallions, chile, vinegar, apple juice, honey, ginger, coriander, thyme, garlic, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper in a large blender. Cover and blend until a thick paste forms, shutting off the machine occasionally to scrape down the inside of the canister with a rubber spatula.
2 Scrape the paste into the slow cooker. Stir in the plantain and onion. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until the plantain bits are becoming meltingly tender.
3 Stir in the shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This spice paste is lighter and more aromatic than that used for the Jerk Pork Shoulder, the better to pair with the shrimp.
• The plantains must be ripe; their skin should be deeply mottled, even black in places.
• Feel free to substitute scrubbed littleneck clams for the shrimp. Because of the clams’ shell weight, use 25 more clams than shrimp. Or use a combination of shrimp and clams.
• For a kick in the sauce, substitute applejack brandy for the apple juice.
Serve It Up! Have a Caribbean Slaw on the side: Mix a bagged slaw mix with diced mango, pineapple, and cilantro leaves. Dress it with mayonnaise thinned with a little cider vinegar and spiked with a pinch of cayenne, as well as salt and pepper.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3½ cups drained and rinsed canned black-eyed peas
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2½ tsp packed light brown sugar
2½ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp finely grated lemon zest
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¾ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
5½ cups drained and rinsed canned black-eyed peas
1¼ cups coconut milk
½ pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3½ tsp packed light brown sugar
3½ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp finely grated lemon zest
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1¼ pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
9 cups drained and rinsed canned black-eyed peas
2 cups coconut milk
¾ pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tblsp packed light brown sugar
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tblsp ground coriander
½ tblsp ground cumin
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 Stir the black-eyed peas, coconut milk, tomatoes, onion, brown sugar, ginger, coriander, cumin, lemon zest, and turmeric in the slow cooker until the brown sugar dissolves. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours or on low for 5 hours, or until the sauce is ridiculously aromatic.
2 Stir in the shrimp and cilantro. Cover, set the heat to high, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This surprising mix of ingredients adds up to a big mélange of flavors. The many herbs enhance the coconut milk and the black-eyed peas give the whole thing a mild earthiness.
• There’s no heat here. Feel free to add up to ½ teaspoon cayenne to a large slow cooker if you want some kick. However, increase the ginger by 1 or 2 teaspoons to compensate.
Serve It Up! Season cooked long-grain brown rice with toasted sesame oil, lime juice, and salt for a perky side dish.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup paper-thin, half-moon lemon slices
2 tblsp, cut into small bits unsalted butter
2 tsp slivered peeled garlic
1 fresh thyme sprigs
¾ pound sea scallops
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 cup paper-thin, half-moon lemon slices
4 tblsp (½ stick), cut into small bits unsalted butter
1½ tblsp slivered peeled garlic
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1½ pounds sea scallops
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
2 cups paper-thin, half-moon lemon slices
8 tblsp (1 stick), cut into small bits unsalted butter
3 tblsp slivered peeled garlic
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 pounds sea scallops
2 tsp ground black pepper
¾ tsp salt
1 Lay the lemon slices across the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with the butter, garlic, and thyme sprigs. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the lemon slices have softened considerably.
2 Add the scallops, toss well, and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the scallops are firm and opaque.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Here’s an easy supper from scallops—and economical, too, if you use frozen scallops you’ve thawed in the fridge for a day or two.
• Make sure you get every drop of the sauce. Even the softened lemon rings are lovely to eat with the scallops.
• We prefer a heavy dose of pepper in buttery sauces. You might want to cut back if you don’t want your dinner to sting.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED In North America, we eat only the abductor muscle of scallops—that is, the muscle that opens and closes the shell, not the bright roe or other, smaller bits. At the seafood counter, look for dry-packed scallops, those shucked and shipped on ice (or just frozen), each with a slightly pink hue, rather than wet-packed, which have been doped with a whitening agent and preservatives (which can also give the meat a soapy flavor). Sea scallops are quite large, sometimes 2 or 3 ounces each; bay scallops, by contrast, are small, perhaps several to the ounce.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Scallops are done fast—and can also be overcooked in a matter of minutes. You’ll need to watch the slow cooker closely, even more so than you do with shrimp. The scallops should be firm to the touch but not cracked, a little resistant but not “springy.” Cut one open to see if it is cooked through. We prefer ours a bit translucent at the center, about 20 minutes for medium sea scallops. If you like yours more done, cook them for 10 minutes longer.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
¼ pound (about ½ cup) Leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed to remove internal sand, and thinly sliced
½ cup dry vermouth
2 tblsp unsalted butter
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 fresh tarragon sprigs
1 pound sea scallops
3 tblsp heavy cream
4- TO 5½-QUART
1¾ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 medium celery ribs, chopped
½ pound (about 1 cup) Leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed to remove internal sand, and thinly sliced
¾ cup dry vermouth
3½ tblsp unsalted butter
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 fresh tarragon sprigs
1¾ pounds sea scallops
⅓ cup heavy cream
6- TO 8-QUART
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
4 medium celery ribs, chopped
¾ pound (about 1½ cups) Leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed to remove internal sand, and thinly sliced
1½ cups dry vermouth
6 tblsp unsalted butter
1 tblsp finely grated lemon zest
½ tblsp salt
½ tblsp ground black pepper
3 fresh tarragon sprigs
3 pounds sea scallops
½ cup heavy cream
1 Mix the broth, celery, leeks, vermouth, butter, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and tarragon sprigs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the vegetables have begun to get tender.
2 Add the scallops. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the scallops are firm and opaque.
3 Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the scallops from the slow cooker; set them on a large platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
4 Strain the sauce in the slow cooker through a fine-mesh sieve and into a saucepan. Stir in the cream. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil to reduce until half its original volume, 2 to 5 minutes. Ladle the sauce over the scallops to serve.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• In this simplified version of coquilles St. Jacques, you lose all the vegetables, but most of their flavor has dissolved into the sauce.
• Dry vermouth’s herbal flavors will offer more punch here, rather than the sugary finish of white wine.
• If you don’t have a fine-mesh sieve, line a colander with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. (The point is to catch even the small bits like the lemon zest.)
• Substitute peeled and deveined shrimp at will. Or even thawed frozen lobster tails, which will need 30 to 40 minutes in the slow cooker.
Serve It Up! For an Herbed Salad to stand up to this cream sauce: Mix chopped parsley leaves and stemmed thyme leaves with bagged salad greens, then dress it all with a lemon vinaigrette made from two parts oil to one part lemon juice, seasoned with salt and pepper.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup plus 1 tblsp low-sodium vegetable broth
⅔ cup drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2 tblsp minced shallots
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp dried oregano
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch saffron
½ bay leaf
⅓ pound sea scallops, cut into quarters, or bay scallops, left whole
⅓ pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined (even salad or baby shrimp)
⅔ cup quick-cooking couscous
4- TO 5½-QUART
1⅔ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
3 tblsp minced shallots
½ tblsp minced garlic
¾ tsp dried oregano
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch saffron
1 bay leaf
⅔ pound sea scallops, cut into quarters, or bay scallops, left whole
⅔ pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined (even salad or baby shrimp)
1 cup quick-cooking couscous
6- TO 8-QUART
2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
¼ cup minced shallots
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp saffron
1 bay leaf
1 pound sea scallops, cut into quarters, or bay scallops, left whole
1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined (even salad or baby shrimp)
1½ cups quick-cooking couscous
1 Stir the broth, tomatoes, shallots, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, saffron, and bay leaf in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until simmering and fragrant.
2 Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the scallops and shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes.
3 Stir in the couscous. Unplug the cooker and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Once again, the absence of good fish stock hampers a perfect dish. Vegetable broth does good service, but fish stock would be better if you can lay your hands on it.
• Quick-cooked couscous will soften and absorb most of the water as it sits. Unfortunately, it can dry the dish out if you leave it for more than the stated time, so be prepared to sit down at the table right away.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Couscous is a North African and Middle Eastern staple, a pasta consisting of tiny balls of semolina wheat. Although traditional couscous is steamed for hours to get it tender, most North American supermarkets stock a parboiled dried product that is a pretty good stand-in. You can also find whole-grain quick-cooking couscous.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups coconut milk
3 tblsp fresh lime juice
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups julienned peeled carrots
¼ cup thinly sliced whole scallions
¾ pound sea scallops, cut into quarters, or bay scallops, left whole
¾ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
3 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 cups coconut milk
5 tblsp fresh lime juice
3 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
½ tblsp finely grated lime zest
½ tblsp minced garlic
½ tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups julienned peeled carrots
6 tblsp thinly sliced whole scallions
1 pound 2 ounces sea scallops, cut into quarters, or bay scallops, left whole
1 pound 2 ounces medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
⅓ cup minced fresh basil leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
5 cups coconut milk
7 tblsp fresh lime juice
⅓ cup minced peeled fresh ginger
2½ tsp finely grated lime zest
2½ tsp minced garlic
¾ tsp red pepper flakes
5 cups julienned peeled carrots
⅔ cup thinly sliced whole scallions
2 pounds sea scallops, cut into quarters, or bay scallops, left whole
2 pounds medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
½ cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 Mix the coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, lime zest, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker; stir in the carrots and scallions. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, or until bubbling and fragrant.
2 Stir in the scallops and shrimp. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm. Stir in the basil before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• The basil is added after the shellfish has cooked so that it doesn’t overpower the dish by leaching too many oils into the sauce.
• There’s no salt in many of these shellfish dishes because shrimp, scallops, clams, and oysters leach so much briny water into the sauce as they cook.
Serve It Up! Serve this stew over cooked and drained rice noodles, cellophane noodles, or mung bean noodles.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 thin strips of bacon
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ pound leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed to remove sand, and thinly sliced
2 medium celery ribs, diced
2 medium yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), diced
¼ cup dry vermouth
½ tsp dried thyme
½ cup heavy cream
2 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 thin strips of bacon
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
½ pound leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed to remove sand, and thinly sliced
3 medium celery ribs, diced
3 medium yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), diced
½ cup dry vermouth
1 tsp dried thyme
½ cup heavy cream
4 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
6- TO 8-QUART
5 thin strips of bacon
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¾ pound leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed to remove sand, and thinly sliced
4 medium celery ribs, diced
4 medium yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), diced
¾ cup dry vermouth
½ tblsp dried thyme
¾ cup heavy cream
6 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
1 Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until quite crisp, turning occasionally, 4 or 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, pat dry with paper towels, and crumble into the slow cooker.
2 Stir in the broth, leeks, celery, potatoes, vermouth, and thyme. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, or until the sauce is simmering and the potatoes are tender.
3 Pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
4 Pour the cream into the slow cooker and stir in the clams, setting them in the sauce hinge side down as much as possible. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 to 40 minutes, until the clams open.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• If the bacon won’t crumble into the slow cooker, you didn’t fry it enough. Put it back in the skillet and cook until it’s dark brown all over, then crumble it in.
• Boiling the cream before adding it to the cooker will keep it from breaking in the sauce.
• Substitute cockles for the clams. They’ll need only about 15 minutes to cook on high. (Or you can substitute shell-on, deveined shrimp, and cook for about 20 minutes on high.)
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED There are many varieties of edible clams:
• Littlenecks are the most common in North America, native to a long stretch of the Atlantic coast. They have gray shells and a pronounced, meaty flavor.
• Mahogany clams have brown shells and are harvested in the deep, cold waters off of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. Their flavor is similar to littlenecks (if brinier).
• Manila clams, sometimes called Japanese littlenecks, are much smaller and sweeter than either of the previous clams. They’re a Pacific specialty; they may well cook more quickly than littlenecks because of their size.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Hard-shelled clams need to be cleaned of surface sand that may adhere to the grooves on the shell and can turn your sauce into a gritty mess. Using a clean, new toothbrush or a soft potato brush, scrub gently but efficiently under running cool water to get the clams clean. Stiff wire brushes can nick the shells, leaving bits of grit in your food.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2 tblsp chopped yellow onion
2 tblsp trimmed and chopped fennel bulb
½ tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
4- TO 5½-QUART
1¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
¼ cup trimmed and chopped fennel bulb
1 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp red pepper flakes
4 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
6- TO 8-QUART
3½ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
½ cup chopped yellow onion
½ cup trimmed and chopped fennel bulb
2 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes
6 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
1 Combine the tomatoes, onion, fennel, tomato paste, garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until the vegetables have softened and the sauce is bubbling.
2 Add the clams, then stir so they’re coated in the sauce. If possible, arrange most hinge side down. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 to 40 minutes, until the clams have opened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Yes, the sauce is spicy. You can still double the red pepper flakes at will.
• If desired, add thawed frozen artichoke quarters with the fennel, up to 1 cup of them for the largest slow cooker.
• For a sweeter sauce, drain the tomatoes, then add ⅓ cup white wine for a small slow cooker, ½ cup for a medium one, and 1 cup for a large slow cooker.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW The timings for the clam recipes are a tad dependent on the size of the clams. Manila clams may open in 20 minutes; littlenecks, about 30 minutes. But in all cases, buy small clams for these recipes. Since they won’t be sitting in a vigorously simmering sauce, they will open more slowly than on the stovetop, and larger clams will already be tough by the time they finally unhinge.
2- TO 3½-QUART
¾ cup drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
8 grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup dry sherry
⅓ cup chopped jarred roasted red pepper (pimiento)
3 tblsp chopped yellow onion
½ tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp mild smoked paprika
2 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
4- TO 5½-QUART
1⅔ cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
12 grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup dry sherry
⅔ cup chopped jarred roasted red pepper (pimiento)
⅓ cup chopped yellow onion
1 tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves
½ tblsp minced garlic
½ tblsp mild smoked paprika
4 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
6- TO 8-QUART
2½ cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
18 grape tomatoes, halved
1½ cups dry sherry
1 cup chopped jarred roasted red pepper (pimiento)
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1½ tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp mild smoked paprika
6 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
1 Stir the chickpeas, tomatoes, sherry, red pepper, onion, oregano, garlic, and paprika in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until the tomatoes have begun to break down into a bubbling sauce.
2 Stir in the clams, positioning most of them hinge side down in the sauce. Cover and continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes, until clams have opened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• We modeled this dish on some pretty fine tapas we once had in New York City. The bar served two clams per plate; we wanted more.
• Small grape tomatoes will offer a sweeter, less acidic bite than more standard cherry tomatoes.
2- TO 3½-QUART
¾ pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
6 tblsp unsalted butter
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp finely minced lemon zest
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
1 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
12 tblsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp minced garlic
2 tsp finely minced lemon zest
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
2¼ pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter
6 tblsp fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp minced garlic
1 tblsp finely minced lemon zest
½ tblsp ground black pepper
6 pounds small littleneck, mahogany, or manila clams, cleaned
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 Stir the tomatoes, butter, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper in a small cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, or until the tomatoes have begun to break down into a bubbling sauce.
2 Stir in the clams and basil, arranging as many of the clams hinge side down in the sauce as possible. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 to 40 minutes, until all the clams open.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• There’s no point in going halfway with a butter sauce! Just make sure you have plenty of crunchy bread to sop up every drop.
• Clams open and release lots of brine into the sauce, making it quite salty.
• Substitute cleaned cockles for the clams; cook them until opened, only about 20 minutes.
• Substitute half as much stemmed thyme or minced oregano leaves for the basil.
• For heat, add up to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the tomatoes.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Clams are simple but hardy animals. Wild littlenecks can average about 400 years in the ocean; mahogany clams, up to 500 years. Although they don’t last as long in the kitchen, they’re one of the few live-food items you’ll prepare and they need special attention. Buy clams only from a reputable market with a knowledgeable fishmonger. If they come sewn into a bag, ask that it be undone. Don’t pay for any that are open and won’t close when tapped. Also, don’t pay for any with broken shells. Once cooked, toss out any that don’t open. They are probably glued shut with muddy slime, something that you wouldn’t want in your sauce anyway.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Since clams have to be alive when they’re cooked, plan on eating them the same day you buy them. Get a bag of chipped ice from the supermarket for the ride home, then store them in a bowl in the refrigerator for no more than 6 hours. Some advocate immersing clams in cold water with a bit of cornmeal to help them open up and release any grit. Although you can do that, most clams sold today are farmed and don’t have gunky bits inside the shell. However, no clam should be immersed in fresh water in the fridge for more than an hour or so because, as saltwater creatures, they will die.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 ounces thinly sliced bacon
12 ounces chopped clams, any juices reserved
⅔ cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1 ounce (about ¼ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
2 tblsp unsalted butter, melted
4 tsp minced fresh parsley leaves
1¼ tsp dried oregano
⅛ tsp garlic powder
⅛ tsp hot pepper sauce
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
¾ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp mild smoked paprika
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 ounces thinly sliced bacon
1½ pounds chopped clams, any juices reserved
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup (about 1 small) chopped yellow onion
2 ounces (about ½ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
3 tblsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp mild smoked paprika
6- TO 8-QUART
10 ounces thinly sliced bacon
2¼ pounds chopped clams, any juices reserved
1¾ cups Panko breadcrumbs
1¼ cups chopped yellow onion
3 ounces (about ¾ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
5 tblsp unsalted butter, melted
3½ tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tblsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp hot pepper sauce
5 tsp fresh lemon juice
1¾ tsp ground black pepper
¾ tsp mild smoked paprika
1 Fry the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat, turning occasionally, until quite brown and crunchy, between 4 and 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate and blot dry with paper towels. Set the skillet aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2 Wipe up the warm grease in the skillet with a paper towel, then (huzzah!) use that paper towel to grease the inside of the slow cooker canister.
3 Crumble the bacon into a large bowl; stir in the clams, breadcrumbs, onion, cheese, butter, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Use just enough of the reserved clam juice to moisten the mixture without soaking it.
4 Spoon and layer the mixture into the slow cooker, gently smoothing it down without compacting it. Sprinkle the top with the lemon juice, pepper, and paprika.
5 Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until hot at the center and bubbling at the edges. Serve by scooping up spoonfuls onto plates.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Truly a clam casserole, this dish would be welcome on the coffee table come game day.
• Although canned clams are probably the easiest way to get chopped clams, a better choice is to buy freshly shucked clams, available at the fish counter.
• If you don’t have enough clam juice to moisten the casserole, use low-sodium vegetable broth.
2- TO 3½-QUART
6 tblsp dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
¼ cup trimmed and chopped fennel bulb
½ tsp finely grated orange zest
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
1 pound small to medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
4- TO 5½-QUART
¾ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup chopped yellow onion
½ cup trimmed and chopped fennel bulb
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
2 pounds small to medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
6- TO 8-QUART
1½ cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup (about 1 medium) chopped yellow onion
1 cup trimmed and chopped fennel bulb
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
4 pounds small to medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 Mix the wine, broth, onion, fennel, orange zest, garlic, fennel seeds, and thyme in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the vegetables have begun to get tender.
2 Stir in the mussels. Cover and continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• A pot of mussels makes about the best dinner we can imagine. If the insert will come out of your slow cooker, simply lift it up and bring it to the table to set on a trivet.
• Mussels can fill up a slow cooker in no time. The number of servings are thus a tad small—from 1 to 4 people. One pound of mussels, which makes one serving, fills a small slow cooker. However, we gauged these numbers as main-course fare. If you’re serving mussels as a first course, the same amounts will yield double the number of servings.
• For the best consistency, chop the onion and fennel into similar size pieces, about ½ inch each, so you can get them together on spoonfuls of the sauce.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Like clams, mussels are a live-food product: they should be cooked the day you buy them. Don’t cook any that won’t close when tapped and do store them in a clean bowl in the fridge until you’re ready to drop them into the cooker.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Mussels need to be scrubbed to get rid of any sandy grit adhering to their shells. Use a potato brush or a clean toothbrush and work under running, cold water. They may also need to be debearded—that is, the hairy filaments that stick out of the shell should be removed. To do so, grasp these filaments and zip them along the shell’s seam, pulling them free at the end. Many mussels today are farm-raised so they don’t need to be debearded; however, all mussels should be cooked as soon as they are debearded.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup moderately dry, fruity white wine, such as Pinot Blanc
1½ tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1 tblsp minced shallot
¼ tsp minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 pound small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 tblsp chopped fresh dill fronds
4- TO 5½-QUART
¾ cup moderately dry, fruity white wine, such as Pinot Blanc
3 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
2 tblsp minced shallot
½ tsp minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 pounds small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
2 tblsp chopped fresh dill fronds
6- TO 8-QUART
1½ cups moderately dry, fruity white wine, such as Pinot Blanc
6 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
¼ cup minced shallot
1 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
4 pounds small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
¼ cup chopped fresh dill fronds
1 Stir the wine, butter bits, shallot, garlic, and bay leaf into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until bubbling and hot.
2 Stir in the mussels and dill. Cover and continue cooking for 40 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. Discard the bay leaf before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Because mussels release so much briny liquid into the stew, a slightly sweeter white wine works better than dry vermouth—a less confusing set of flavors to set off the bivalve’s natural sweetness.
• Truly mince the shallot, the better to melt into the sauce.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Never eat mussels that don’t open. While culinary types debate whether they’re safe even if they don’t open, they’re often full of slimy gunk which is better off in the trash can.
Serve It Up! Although a pot of mussels doesn’t need much else to make it dinner, a crunchySpinach Salad on the side is often welcome: Toss baby spinach leaves with thinly sliced strawberries, very thinly sliced red onion, and toasted sliced almonds in a large bowl. Whisk one part red wine vinegar and four parts olive oil in a separate small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and dress the salad, tossing gently.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup dark beer, such as porter or brown ale
2 tblsp low-sodium vegetable broth
2 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, chopped
2 tblsp chopped yellow onion
½ tblsp stemmed and minced chipotles in adobo sauce
½ tsp minced garlic
⅛ tsp ground cumin
1 pound small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
4- TO 5½-QUART
¾ cup dark beer, such as porter or brown ale
¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, chopped
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
1 tblsp stemmed and minced chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp ground cumin
2 pounds small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
6- TO 8-QUART
1½ cups dark beer, such as porter or brown ale
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
8 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, chopped
½ cup chopped yellow onion
2 tblsp stemmed and minced chipotles in adobo sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp ground cumin
4 pounds small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 Stir the beer, broth, chorizo, onion, chipotles, garlic, and cumin in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, or until the sauce is bubbling and aromatic.
2 Stir in the mussels. Cover and continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Dark beer has the right heft and sweetness to stand up to the very deep-tasting ingredients in this simple stew. To keep it from foaming too much, pour the beer slowly down the inside wall of the slow cooker.
• For a fresher, less complex taste, use fresh Mexican chorizo, cut into 1-inch sections. Brown it first in a skillet with a little vegetable oil set over medium heat.
2- TO 3½-QUART
¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup sake
2 tblsp chopped pickled ginger (sushi ginger)
1 tblsp thinly sliced whole scallions
1 tblsp soy sauce
Up to 1 tsp wasabi paste
1 pound small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
4- TO 5½-QUART
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup sake
¼ cup chopped pickled ginger (sushi ginger)
2 tblsp thinly sliced whole scallions
2 tblsp soy sauce
Up to ½ tblsp wasabi paste
2 pounds small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
6- TO 8-QUART
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup sake
½ cup chopped pickled ginger (sushi ginger)
¼ cup thinly sliced whole scallions
¼ cup soy sauce
Up to 1 tblsp wasabi paste
4 pounds small or medium mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 Stir the broth, sake, pickled ginger, scallions, soy sauce, and wasabi paste in the slow cooker until the wasabi paste dissolves. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until delectably fragrant.
2 Stir in the mussels. Cover and continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This Japanese-inspired concoction is a fresh, summery way to prepare mussels.
• If you can only find wasabi powder in the Asian aisle at your supermarket, make an equivalent amount of paste with water, using the directions on the package.
• Look for pickled ginger in the Asian aisle. Buy it in glass jars so you can tell if it’s fresh—no evidence of browning anywhere, no matter if you’ve got the pink or white type in hand. Don’t substitute jarred minced ginger.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Sake is Japanese rice wine. In Japanese, sake actually refers to any alcoholic beverage, not just the wine we so identify in English. For cooking, choose a somewhat sweet, fairly straightforward sake, not an aged or overly dry sake.
2- TO 3½-QUART
¼ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tblsp minced celery
2 tblsp minced yellow onion
½ tblsp chili powder
½ tblsp cider vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mild paprika
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp liquid smoke
1 pound small or medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
4- TO 5½-QUART
½ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup minced celery
¼ cup minced yellow onion
1 tblsp chili powder
1 tblsp cider vinegar
½ tblsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tblsp mild paprika
½ tblsp honey
1 tsp dry mustard
½ tsp liquid smoke
2 pounds small or medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
6- TO 8-QUART
1 cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup minced celery
½ cup minced yellow onion
2 tblsp chili powder
2 tblsp cider vinegar
1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tblsp mild paprika
1 tblsp honey
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp liquid smoke
4 pounds small or medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 Stir the tomatoes, broth, celery, onion, chili powder, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, honey, mustard, and liquid smoke in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the sauce is hot and bubbling.
2 Stir in the mussels. Cover and continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Mince the veggies so they make a sauce, not a stew.
• This one’s best if you’ve cleaned the mussel shells enough that you can slurp the sauce right off them.
• Standard chili powder isn’t really that hot. If you want a spicier dish, use a combination of chipotle chile powder and standard chili powder.
• This barbecue sauce is very savory, even a little sour. If you like barbecue sauce that’s sweeter, add more honey in step one: 1 tablespoon in a small batch, 2 tablespoons in a medium one, or ¼ cup in a large batch.
Serve It Up! Make a bed for the mussels and their sauce by frying corn kernels and diced zucchini with unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat, just until warmed through but still crunchy.
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ cup coconut milk
3 tblsp sweet white wine, such as Spätlese
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
up to 2 tsp red Thai curry paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp honey
1 pound small to medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tblsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 cup coconut milk
⅓ cup sweet white wine, such as Spätlese
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
up to 1½ tblsp red Thai curry paste
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp honey
2 pounds small to medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
2 cups coconut milk
⅔ cup sweet white wine, such as Spätlese
¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger
up to 3 tblsp red Thai curry paste
1½ tblsp minced garlic
1½ tblsp fish sauce
1½ tblsp fresh lime juice
1½ tblsp honey
4 pounds small to medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 Mix the coconut milk, wine, ginger, curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and honey in the slow cooker until the honey dissolves. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the sauce is fragrant.
2 Stir in the mussels and cilantro. Cover and continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, or until the mussels pop open.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• One last mussel stew, and this recipe is the spiciest of the lot.
• A Riesling or a Spätlese will work wonderfully here—and you’ll love finishing the rest of the bottle as you relish this tongue-spanking meal.
Serve It Up! Cook short-grain rice in coconut milk (instead of water) for a sweet, aromatic side dish.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium celery ribs, chopped
¼ cup stemmed, seeded, and chopped green bell pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp dried thyme
⅛ tsp cayenne
1¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup dry vermouth
2 tblsp heavy cream
2 tblsp all-purpose flour
1 pint shucked oysters, with their juices
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
½ cup stemmed, seeded, and chopped green bell pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp cayenne
2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup dry vermouth
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1½ pints shucked oysters, with their juices
6- TO 8-QUART
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 medium celery ribs, chopped
1 cup (about 1 medium) stemmed, seeded, and chopped green bell pepper
1½ tblsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp cayenne
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups dry vermouth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 pints shucked oysters, with their juices
1 Stir the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, and cayenne in the slow cooker.
2 Whisk the broth, vermouth, cream, and flour in a bowl until the flour has completely dissolved; pour over the vegetables and spices in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring twice, until thickened and bubbling.
3 Stir in the oysters. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Shucked oysters make a satisfying stew, especially in this Louisiana favorite.
• Feel free to substitute peeled and deveined medium shrimp, crawfish tail meat, or shucked clams.
Serve It Up! You need white rice in the bowls to make a bed for this stew. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley leaves.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Shucked oysters are available in pasteurized, refrigerated tins at some fish counters—you can even find cartons of freshly shucked oysters in larger supermarkets. Use these oysters the day you buy them. In all cases, avoid canned unrefrigerated oysters, as they are too strong a taste for this dish.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 tblsp peanut oil
2 Serrano chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 medium garlic cloves, slivered
⅓ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
⅓ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tblsp thinly sliced whole scallions
3 tblsp sugar
½ tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1½ pounds frozen calamari rings, thawed
1 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
1 tblsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ tblsp peanut oil
4 Serrano chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 medium garlic cloves, slivered
⅔ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
½ cup white wine vinegar
⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup thinly sliced whole scallions
⅓ cup sugar
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2½ pounds frozen calamari rings, thawed
2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
2 tblsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp peanut oil
8 Serrano chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced
4 medium garlic cloves, slivered
1⅓ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup white wine vinegar
⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth
⅔ cup thinly sliced whole scallions
⅔ cup sugar
2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4 pounds frozen calamari rings, thawed
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 Set a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, then swirl in the oil. Add the chiles and garlic; cook, stirring often, until blistered and even a little browned, about 3 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.
2 Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, broth, scallions, sugar, and ginger until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the calamari rings.
3 Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the sauce is wonderfully perfumed. Stir in the basil and cilantro before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• By browning the garlic and chiles, you’ll add piquant, slightly bitter notes to the sauce, the better to accent all that vinegar and sugar.
• Make sure you use plain calamari rings, neither breaded nor seasoned.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Calamari—squid—is available by the bagful in the freezer case, usually near the shrimp. Thaw them inside their bag in a bowl in the fridge for a day or two. Drain in a colander set in the sink before stirring them into the slow cooker.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1½ tblsp olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1⅓ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
⅔ cup drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
⅓ cups rosé wine
2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
2½ tsp minced fresh oregano leaves
⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
⅓ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
⅓ pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
⅓ pound sea scallops, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole
⅓ pound frozen calamari rings, thawed
4- TO 5½-QUART
2½ tblsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
3⅔ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
1⅓ cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
⅔ cup rosé wine
3 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
1½ tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
⅔ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
⅔ pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
⅔ pound sea scallops, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole
⅔ pound frozen calamari rings, thawed
6- TO 8-QUART
¼ cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
1 tblsp minced garlic
5 cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
2 cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup rosé wine
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
2 tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
1 pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
1 pound sea scallops, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole
1 pound frozen calamari rings, thawed
1 Put a large skillet over low heat for a few minutes, then add the oil. Turn and tilt the skillet to slick the hot surface, then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until softened and somewhat sweet, between 12 and 17 minutes. If the onion begins to brown at all, reduce the heat even further. Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then scrape everything into the slow cooker.
2 Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes, broth, wine, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and bay leaf.
3 Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.
4 Stir in the shrimp, crab meat, scallops, and calamari. Cover, turn the cooker to high, and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and firm. Discard the bay leaf before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This is a shellfish riot based on the San Francisco stew, sometimes made with ketchup. sweetening the onion over low heat does the trick much better.
• Most people make cioppino as a soup. We prefer it as a stew, thicker and with less broth. This one calls for a hefty amount of seafood. You can also make some substitutions, like small clams for the scallops, or double up on some seafood, adding twice the amount of shrimp and nixing the calamari rings, for example.
Serve It Up! Make a Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette for a tossed green salad: Stir ¼ cup pepper jelly and ¼ cup cider vinegar in a small saucepan over very low heat until the jelly dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then whisk in ½ cup olive oil and some salt and pepper. Use this as a dressing for a salad of chopped romaine, toasted walnut pieces, and crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese. Save any remaining dressing in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 whole large egg plus 1 egg white, well beaten in a small bowl
¼ cup minced yellow onion
¼ cup minced celery
2 tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
½ tblsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
½ tsp mild paprika
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
3 whole large eggs, well beaten in a small bowl
½ cup minced yellow onion
½ cup minced celery
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
½ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1 tblsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
1 tsp mild paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
4 whole large eggs plus 1 egg white, well beaten in a small bowl
¾ cup minced yellow onion
¾ cup minced celery
6 tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
¾ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1½ tblsp Dijon mustard
1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
3 pounds lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
½ tblsp mild paprika
¾ tsp ground black pepper
1 Smear unsalted butter around the inside of the crock, either by rubbing it around on a paper towel or simply running the unwrapped stick over all the exposed surfaces.
2 Stir the breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, celery, parsley, sour cream, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl, then pour into the slow cooker and spread into a fairly even but not terribly compact layer. Very gently stir in the crab meat so you preserve its lumpiness. Sprinkle with the paprika and pepper.
3 Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until hot and set.
• It’s not exactly a fried crab cake, but this casserole mimics those flavors and textures—and like any good crab cake, has more crab than cake.
• There’s no call for using jumbo lump crab meat. And although lump crab meat has a slightly less assertive flavor than the more economical backfin, claw, or special crab grades, you can also use those to good success.
• If your market doesn’t sell fresh breadcrumbs in the bakery section, buy a loaf of Italian bread, cut it into small pieces, and whirl it in a food processor. One slice will yield between ⅓ and ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs. Store any extra in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED The best crab meat is available in pasteurized cartons or tins in the refrigerator case of the fish section. It is far less fishy than the canned stuff. However, you’ll need to make sure it contains no shell or sharp cartilage. Spread it out on a cutting board and gently run your fingers through it to find any offending bits.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 pounds frozen king or snow crab legs, thawed
1 small lemon, cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
1 tsp minced garlic
2 fresh dill sprigs
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 pounds frozen king or snow crab legs, thawed
1 medium lemon, cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
2 tsp minced garlic
4 fresh dill sprigs
8 tblsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6- TO 8-QUART
6 pounds frozen king or snow crab legs, thawed
1 large lemon, cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
1 tblsp minced garlic
6 fresh dill sprigs
12 tblsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 Layer the crab legs, lemon wedges, garlic, and dill sprigs in the slow cooker, making as compact a set of layers as you can, snapping the legs to make them fit, but also taking advantage of the slow cooker’s curving sides to accommodate shorter pieces of the legs. Drizzle the whole kit and caboodle with melted butter.
2 Cover and cook on high for 1½ hours, or until the crab legs are hot. Use tongs to transfer the legs to a serving platter. Serve with the decadent, herbaceous butter sauce from the crock.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• King and snow crab legs make an elegant dinner, especially when piled high on a platter.
• Snapping the legs into sections can be a bit of a chore. Yes, there’s the natural break at the joints, but these may not come as clean as you imagine. Use a heavy chef’s knife or a sharp cleaver to cut the legs into the requisite pieces for your cooker.
Serve It Up! Although the butter sauce seems a natural, how about some Spicy Cocktail Sauce, too? Stir 1 cup ketchup, ¼ cup horseradish, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons minced dill fronds, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and a few dashes of hot pepper sauce in a bowl.
INGREDIENTS FOR A 1-QUART, ROUND, HIGH-SIDED BAKING DISH
1 tblsp unsalted butter
2 whole medium scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
½ cup heavy cream
One 9-ounce package frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed
12 ounces regular or low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup canned chopped mild green chiles
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp ground black pepper
12 ounces lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
1 ounce fontina cheese, shredded (about ¼ cup)
1 Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the scallions; cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook for a few seconds, then pour in the cream. Bring to a full simmer and continue boiling, stirring often, until reduced to half its original volume. Remove the skillet from the heat.
2 Squeeze the artichoke hearts by handfuls over the sink to remove most of their moisture. Chop and set aside.
3 Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft. Beat in the chopped artichokes, green chiles, Parmigiano-Reggiano, dill, and pepper. Scrape down and remove the beaters.
4 Stir the contents of the skillet into the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the crab. Scrape and spread the mixture into a 1-quart, high-sided baking or soufflé dish. Top with the grated fontina.
5 Set the baking dish in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, or until the fontina has melted and the dip is bubbling.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This luscious dip is baked in a baking dish that will fit inside almost all slow cookers except for the very smallest. The humid environment will keep the dip ridiculously moist.
• If you want some heat in the dip, skip the green chiles and instead add up to ½ teaspoon cayenne with the dill and pepper.
Serve It Up! Although crackers may seem like the best dip vehicle, try celery spears or even broccoli florets. And there’s no question that this dip isn’t rich enough to make dinner for 4. Just have a vinegary slaw on the side—or make dessert from sliced strawberries, macerated all afternoon in the fridge with a little sugar, balsamic vinegar, and ground black pepper, then spooned over vanilla ice cream.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2½ tblsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
2⅔ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked white Arborio rice
2 tsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
½ ounce (about 2 tblsp) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
2½ tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
½ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
¾ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ cups uncooked white Arborio rice
1 tblsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
1½ pounds lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
1 ounce (about ¼ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
¾ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
6 tblsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 cup plus 2 tblsp dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
6½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2½ cups uncooked white Arborio rice
1½ tblsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
2⅓ pounds lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage
1½ ounces (about 6 tblsp) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
6 tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 Melt the butter in a large skillet placed over low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden and fairly sweet, about 10 minutes.
2 Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in the wine. Stir until it comes to a full simmer, then bubble away until the liquid has reduced to a thick glaze, stirring occasionally, between 3 and 6 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.
3 Stir in the broth, rice, and tarragon. Cover and cook on high for 45 minutes. Stir well, then cover and continue cooking on high for another 45 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
4 Very gently stir in the crab, cheese, parsley, and pepper. Cover and continue cooking on high for 15 minutes, or until hot and aromatic. Serve at once.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• No, you won’t make a perfectly creamy risotto without all that stirring at the stove. But you’ll make a pretty fine imitation, one that can stand up on its own for dinner with a green salad on the side. Our serving sizes indicate main-course servings.
• Don’t even think about using imitation crab meat: it won’t have enough flavor to enhance the rice. However, stir in an equivalent amount of peeled, deveined, and chopped medium shrimp for a more economical meal.